Cutting-machine



W. J. BRENNAN.

CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLIEATION HLED MAR.2|, 191.9.

1 3 45 Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

//v l/E/V 727/1 'w. I. BRENNAN, CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED "AR. 21' I9I9.

138841845. I PatentedAug.30,1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Fig.3.

l I l I I l I L I J v v Ii 0 I o //v|//v TUE- UNITED STATES PATENT orFIc WILLIAM J. BRENNAN, 0F swmvirsoorr,ivrnssAonUsErTs, AssIGNoR '10 nm'rEn SHOE MACHINERY 'oonronarron, or PATERSON, NEW' JERSEY, A CORPORA- TION on NEW JERSEY.

the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. v

This invention relates to cutting machines and particularly to machines for cutting blanks from sheet material by the use of freely movable ldies.

A type of machine in common use for die ing-out blanks from sheet material, known commercially as the clicking machine, comprises a cutting bed upon which sheet material is placed, a presser member arranged to be swung over the bed into position above a die which has been selectively positioned on the stock to be cut and to be reciprocated to drive the die through the stock, and means mounted above the presser member for controlling all movements of said member. Such a machine is shown for example in United States Letters Patent to Arthur BatesNo. 921,503, granted May 11, 1909, the construction shown in this patent having a controlling means of the kind described comprising a lever pivoted to the machine frame above the presser member and arranged to embrace the post which carries the presser member.

An important and increasing use of the clicking machine at the present time is that concerned with the cutting ofheavy stock, such as sheet rubber for the soles of boots and shoes, andof thick fabrics and of fabrics in a multiplicityof layers. In accordance with the requirements of this work it has become necessary to increase the weight and strength of the machine and especially of the presser member which is enlarged and provided with a larger, deeper bearing upon 7 its supportingpost, and the upper. surface of this bearing extends almost into contact with the lower surface of the upper bearing for the post. In such a construction'there is no space for mounting the controlling means shown in said Letters Patent. jObviously the proportion of parts could be maintained in the enlarged machine but there Application filed March 21, 1919. Serial No. 284,150.

GUTTING-MACHINE.

are serious objections to such a course from the practical standpoint and especially to the proportionate lengthening of the post.

g It is an object of the present invention to provide a heavy duty clicking machine of the construction described'with novel controlling means for the presser member'which will perform all the functions and possess all the advantages that characterize the construction of the controlling means shown in the said Letters Patent. hile the invention finds especial application in aheavy duty clicking machine of the type described,

it is to be understood that it is not so limited and that features of the invention may have other applications and uses.

A feature of importance comprises an improved construction of controlling means especially designed for machines of the class described, including parts or elements relatively movable adjacent to the supporting post ofa presser member and inbearing engagement with each other, one or more of the relatively movable elements of the controlling means being so 'constructedas to permit mounting in operative position or removal from the machine without disturb-, ing the operativerelation of other parts or: elements of the controlling meansiand without less of time.

Other features and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan View from above, partly in section, of a presser member and of the means for controlling the operation of the presser member. 7

Fig. 2 is a perspective vlew of a portion of thecontrolling mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is a side view of approximately one-half of a twin clicking machine in which the invention is embodied.

In the illustrated machine there is disclosed a presser member 10 mounted upon the post 12 for rotation therewith as said; post turns in bearings in a frame 14,- the upper bearing being shown at 16. The

'presser member 10 is movable laterally over a cutting bed 18 and is reciprocated toward and from said bed by means not shown in the drawings, but which comprises'mechanism preferably similar to that disclosed in Specification of Letters Patent. Patgutgd Aug. 30, 1921 i United States Patent No. 921,503, granted May 11, 1909 to Arthur Bates, to which patent reference should be had for a complete description of the said operating means which includes a shaft 17 and a clutch form of the invention this starting member comprises a rear portion 20 connected to the clutch through the vertical rod 21 and pivoted at 22 to each side of the upper bearing 16 for the post 12, said rear portion 20 of the lever comprising a semi-circular plate 24: arranged to surround the front portion of the bearing 16 and extending at its convex portion out over the presser member. Slidably attached to the semi-circular plat 24 is the second part 26 of the starting mem ber which is provided with a portion 28 U-shaped in cross section with bent over flanges designed to engage slidably with the semi-circular plate of the rear portion of the lever. This second portion of the lever comprises a handle 30 by which the swinging movements of the prcsser member can be initiated and controlled. In order that the handle may be readily accessible to the operative as he stands at different points along the cutting table, the said handle is made in the shape of a long straight bar which is substantially co-extensive with the long dimension ofthe presser member. Extending uwardlyat the free end of the presser memher is a short rod 32 designed to be received in the forked end 34 of the handle'to guide the same as it is depressed to effect movement of the starting means. At therear the handle 30 is guided during movement in the vertical plane by a yoke-shaped member 36 designed to engage on each side of the front lever member 26., thus permitting free depression thereof but operating to prevent any lateral movement of the handle. The guiding means for the handle just described are necessary features of the construction inasmuch as they prevent any binding of the U-shaped clasp. member 28 due iiigg sliding movement thereof on the semicircular plate 24:. In order that the handle 11151-3 be readily extensible, it is constructed of two parts through a connection comprising a socket 38 adapted to receive the handle portion which is detachably secured in the socket by means of set screws 10, Aspring I d2 is provided attached to the rear end of the lever member 20 and to the frame of the machine to hold the lever in such position that the clutch on the main shaft is unaffected, the spring being of sufficient tension to support the portions forward of the pivots 22 including the handle in the nor mally raisedposition of rest, this position. being determined by a stop 44 positioned,

-machines of thi yp the construction shown, on the semi-circular plate and arranged to contact with a fixed projection on the frame of the machine. In the present instance the fixed projection referred to is found in the tie rod &6 which extends between thejframes of two clicking machines which are positioned opposite each other at the ends of the cutting bed 18 in a construction known asa twin clicking machine such as is shown in the patent to Brothers No. 1,185,625, granted June 6, 1916, the said tie rod being operative to prevent distortion of the frames as, for instance, the bending; away of the same from the cut-v ting bed during the application of pressure to the die on the cutting bed.

As heretofore pointed out, one of the purposes of theinveiition is to provide a clicking machine in which. the pi'esser member 10 is of unusually heavy construction so that the pmachine is adapted to the cutting of heavier thickerv work or of a larger number of layers of material than is possible with the ordinary forms, of clicking machines. For this reason it has been found necessary to provide the heavy pressen member with a larger or deeper bearing upon its carrying post. As shown in the drawings, the bearing 48 of the presser member extends almost into contact with the lower end of the upper bearing 16 for the post, thus leaving no room for the attachment of the form of starting lever ordinarily used with cutting Hence, the starting lever is pivoted on the frame of the machine above the lower surface of the upper bearing for the post and as shown comprises the semi-circular )late 24: on one portion of the starting lever designed to cooperate with the U-shaped clasp slidingly engaged therewith and forming the attachment for the remaining; portion of the starting lever. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the portionsof the starting lever are so constructed that they may be readily assembled in building the machine and as readily disassembled to substitute new parts in case such substitution becomes necessary semi-circular plate as hasone or both ends at so that the cooperating portion 28 may be disengaged by sliding itoif one end and a new portion of the lever just as readily assembled with the said plate QA-by sliding it over'oneeend ofthe plate;

In operating this machine to out blanks from sheet material, the work in the form of sheets is placed upon the cutting bed and a freely movable die positioned upon the work' the presser member 10 is moved into operative posit on over the die, the handle 30 be:

r in the desired location for a blank and then f ing utilized to cause movement of the presser member. Since this handle 30 is practically co-extensive with the longer dimension of the presser member, it is readily accessible to the operative wherever he may be standing alongside of the cutting bed. After swinging the presser member into operative position by meansof the said handle, operation of the machine to effect the application of pressure to the die may be easily effect-ed simply by depressing the same handle which has been used in swinging the presser member. After the pressure applying operation the presser member 10 is displaced relatively to the die so that the same may be removed and replaced in any desired location for a fresh cutting operation.

Having thus described the invention, what isclaimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States i 1. In a cutting machine, aicutting bed, a presser member movable into and out of operative position over said bed and toward and from said bed in pressure-applying op-.

2. In a cuttin machine a cuttin bed a z: a q) a frame having upper and lower bearmgs for a post, a post rotatably supported in said bearings, a presser member mounted on the post, and starting means for the machine comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the upper bearing, said lever comprising a por tion extending alongthe presser member, and connections secured at a plurality of points directly to the presser member for holding the said portion of the lever'against lateral movement with respect to the presser member so as to be movable therewith.

3. In a cutting machine, a frame having upper and lower bearings for a post, a post rotatably mounted in said bearings, a presser member mounted on said post between the bearings, a cutting bed with respect to which the presser member is relatively movable into position over a die thereon and in a direction toward and from said cutting bed in effecting cutting operations, and means for controlling the presser member comprising a lever pivoted on the upper bearing, said lever having a hand-hold portion mounted on and extending longitudinally of the presser member and movable with the presser member.

l. In a machine of the class described, a frame having bearings, a post .rotatably mounted in said bearings and carrying a presser member, a cutting bed, means comprising a lever for starting the machine in operation, means for moving the presser member relativelyto the cutting bed comprising a handle portionof said lever eX- tending longitudinally of the presser member for the greater portion of the length thereof, means for guiding the handle for movement on the presser member, and means for connecting the handle portion ofthe lever to the remaining portion of the lever comprising a freely slidable connection entirely in front of a transverse plane passing through the axis of the post. I

5. In a machine of the class described, a frame having'upper and lower bearings for a post, a post rotatably mounted in said bearings and carrying a presser member, a cutting bed, means for causing pressure applying movements of the presser member comprising a clutch, means for controlling the clutch comprising a member mounted on the upper bearing, a handle, spaced connections mounted on the presser member for operatively connecting the handle to the presser member'at widely separated points for movement on the presser member, and means for connecting the handle to said controlling means.

6. In a machine of the class described, a cutting bed, a presser member, means for causing relative pressing movements of the cutting bed and pressing member including a clutch, and starting means for controlling said clutch comprising a two-part lever, the rear part of said lever being pivotally mounted and being provided with a plate constructed as a semi-circle and the other part of said lever being mounted on the presser member and having a portion to engage movably with said semi-circular plate.

'7. In a cutting machine, a frame, a cutting bed, a post supported rotatably in said frame, a presser member mounted on said post, means for reciprocating the post to effect pressure applying operations of the presser member, and means for controlling said reciprocating means comprising a lever member pivoted on the frame and having a hand-hold arranged to extend longitudinally of the presser member substantially in a horizontal plane at one side thereof so as to be accessible to the operative standing at any point along that side. 7

8. In a cutting machine, a frame provided with bearings, a post rotatably mounted in said bearings and carrying a presser memher, a cutting bed, means for operating the post to efi'ect pressure applying movements of the presser member, means for controlber mounted on said post between said bearings and having a bearing extending approximately to the lower surface of the upper bearing for the post, means for operating the post to effect a pressure applying movement of the presser member, means'for controlling said operating means comprising a lever pivotally mounted on the upper bearing of the frame, and means guided at a plurality of points on the presser memer for movement therewith and connected to said lever to control the operation thereof.

10. In a cutting machine, a cutting bed, a presser member movable into and out of operative position over said bed and toward and from said bed in pressure-applying operations, and means for controlling the movements of the presser member compris ng a lever'consistmg of relatively movable portions, one of said portions being provided with a guideway and the other portion having a part slidable along said guideway and also from an end of said 'uideway in effecting disconnection of the portions of thelever.

11. In a cutting machine, a cutting bed, a presser member movableinto and out of operative position over said bed and toward and from said bed in pressure-applying operations, and means for controlling the movements of the presser member comprising a lever consisting of relativelymovable portions, one of said portions being provided with a guideway of semi-circular shape and controlling all the movements of the movable presser member comprising a handheld constructed and arranged for location at one side of the presser member near the longitudinal center thereof and at a point readily accessible to the operative.

13. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a presser member supported on the frame, a post supported in the frame and movably carrying a second presser member, means for causing pressure-applying movements of the movable presser member, and manually operable means for controlling said fi'rstmentioned means comprising an element mounted on the frame and provided with an arcuate portion extending in front of the axis of the post and a handle movable along said arcuate portion and on and off an end thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM J. BRENNAN. 

